Eugene, a young teenage Jewish boy, recalls his memoirs of his time as an adolescent youth. He lives with his parents, his aunt, two cousins, and his brother, Stanley, whom he looks up to and admires. He goes through the hardships of puberty, sexual fantasy, and living the life of a poor boy in a crowded house.

A Jewish teenager sets three goals: lose his virginity, become a writer, and survive World War II.

Eugene and Stanley Jerome try to break into show biz as comedy writers while their parents' marriage ends.